The 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star weekend has kicked off and it’s shaping up to be a busy one for hockey fans as festivities take over Toronto. From free events to road closures, here’s what to expect in the days ahead.
DAILY EVENTS
The NHL All-Star weekend kicked off on Thursday with free skating, the NHL Fan Fair, red carpet appearances and All-Star Thursday.
There will be events happening daily, until Sunday Feb. 4, including public ice skating and ball hockey.
On Friday and Saturday, there will be public skating with free skate rentals at Nathan Phillips Square from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., and skaters of all ages are welcome.
NHL STREET, in partnership with RCX Sports, will operate more than 100 ball hockey games for children between the ages of six to 16 years old at the Hyundai NHL Fan Fair.
The United By Hockey Mobile Museum is returning again this season at the Hyundai NHL Fan Fair. The professionally curated exhibit gives fans the opportunity to learn about the impacts that trailblazers, change makers and business leaders have on hockey.
FRIDAY
In addition to the public skate, the Professional Women’s Hockey League had an open practice from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., showcasing players Renata Fast, Jocelyne Larocque, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull, among others.
From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Hockey 4 Youth took the ice. Hockey 4 Youth Foundation facilitates social inclusion for newcomer and sidelined youth of all genders in its free ice hockey and T.E.A.C.H. programs.
The NHL All-Stars Skills Competition kicked off at 7 p.m. at the Scotiabank Arena. Connor McDavid, who has been named the NHL’s most valuable player (MVP) three times in his career, took the $1 million top prize. He claimed first place in stick-handling and speed skating events before going on to win an accuracy shooting competition.
SATURDAY
From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., players from the Toronto Gay Hockey Association competed for the Pride Cup Trophy. The teams were coached by Brian Burke, who is the executive director of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA), and former NHL player and Stanley Cup champion Andrew Ference. Dre Barone officiated the game as the first openly gay male to do so.
The NHL Creator Skills event took place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., which included hockey Youtuber Nasher, Zach Bell, Pavel Barber, Coach Chippy, and other hockey content creators across North America. They competed in a three-on-three tournament and showcase trick shots and skills.
The NHL All-Stars game starts at 3 p.m. at the Scotiabank arena. It features four teams, playing a 3-on-3 format which was adopted by the NHL over its traditional 2-team format. The captains picked their teams on Feb. 1.
SUNDAY
The 2024 Hyundai NHL Fan Fair will end the weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tickets are required.
TTC AND ROAD CLOSURES
There will be no service on TTC Line 2 between Warden and Kennedy stations for track work on Saturday and Sunday. Shuttle buses will be running, and service is expected to resume at 6 a.m. Monday morning. In addition, numerous roads are closed this weekend as part of ongoing city closures. A full list of the closures can be found here.